NASCAR team owner sues, seeks another team’s charter

One NASCAR team is suing another NASCAR team, according to a story by NBC Sports on Tuesday evening. Hillman Racing owner Mike Hillman and his partners, Doug Fuller and Matt Miller, filed a suit against Joe Falk, Circle Sport, Leavine Family Racing and Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing last week in North Carolina Superior Court.

In its suit, Hillman Racing claims Falk “improperly entered into an agreement with Leavine Family Racing,” according to the NBC report.

With the suit, Hillman and his partners are asking for more than $25,000 and ownership of the No. 33 team, including its NASCAR charter. Hillman and company also want all profits and benefits of Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing’s No. 95 team.

Hillman and Falk previously were partners in Circle Sport and fielded the No. 33 entry through the end of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. But during the offseason, Falk merged Circle Sport with Leavine Family Racing to form Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing. With the merger, the No. 33 team was merged into the newly-formed team, but the No. 95 that Leavine Family Racing brought into the deal became the primary entry for the team and, therefore, received the benefits, including the NASCAR charter that guarantees starting spots in all Sprint Cup races and carries additional perks.

Hillman and Fuller claim to have brought in several sponsors for the No. 33 car over the past few seasons. They also claim that Falk’s contributions to the race team were less significant.

Hillman Racing retained the No. 40 team that was a part of the partnership between Hillman Racing and Circle Sport but raced under the Hillman Racing banner, but since it hadn’t competed full-time between 2013 and 2015, it did not receive a charter.